Vapor-lamp.



- o. COMES;

VAPOR LAMP. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1912.

1,057,120. Ptented Mar. 25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 11.

'111111111 u 'l 'lll/lill,

WIM/8858 D "ATTORNEY,

CULUMBIA Pl-ArgouRAiH to-.'WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. COMES.

VAPOR LAMP. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1912j 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

CHARLES COMES, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

varon-LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

Application filed August 8, 1912. Serial No. 714,029.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES CoMEs, a citizenof the United States, residing at Greenville, Jersey City, in the countyof Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vapor-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lamps and other apparatus for burning liquidsof a volatile character, such as alcohol.

In devising the present invention I have had certain principal objectsin view briefly outlined as follows: Generally, my object is to providean apparatus of the kind indicated which may be successfully used invarious adaptations and particularly, as in high power lamps, where thecombustion should proceed in a steady manner, at high temperature, andwith a uniform character of light. Specifically, and in furtherance ofthe said general object, my objects are to provide for a localization ofthe volatilizing or vaporizing process and such isolation of that partof the fuel which has been vaporized and is ready for combustion fromthat which is not so far advanced, that, given suitable pressure meansfor forcing thefuel forward from the supply therefor, backpressure, dueto expansion of the vapor or otherwise, cannot be effective to balanceand perhaps overbalance the supply-pressure and so produce anintermittent, surging or other non-constant condition of flow toward thecombustion point and a consequent fluctuating or flickering condition inthe light so common in this character of lamps heretofore devised; toprovide for so governing the flow of the fuel that not only willflooding be prevented but the necessity of resorting to or dependingupon delicate adjustment of the flow of the fuel by a valve or otherwisein, order to attain just that quantity of fuel which produces the mostperfect combustio-n-condition will be eliminated; to provide forthoroughly filtering the fuel and thus clearing it of matt-er calculatedto impoverish the vaporl or interfere wit-h the efficiency of theapparatus by forming deposits thereon; and to provide a vaporizing meanswhich shall be simple, compact and inexpensive in character and at thesame time highly efficient in the function of heating and simultaneouslyatoniizing the fuel.

Other objects will appear hereinafter or be apparent to those skilled inthis art.

The invention will be found fully illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein,

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred form of theimproved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line w-azof Fig. l; Fig. 3 shows the carbon body 'g and certain accessories inside elevation; Fig. 4E is a sectional view of the vapor outlet-tip;Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modification of the invention;and, Fig. 6 shows the carbon body of Fig. 5 and certain of itsaccessories partly in longitudinal section and partly in sideelevations.

Referring, first, to Figs. 1 to et: a; is a tubular member formed ofsome metal which is a good conductor of heat, the same being closed atone end and open and internally screw-threaded at the other and alsoprovided', near its closed end, with an outwardly projecting nipple bhaving a reduced extremity c which is internally threaded. Into thethreaded end of the member a' is screwed the plug d, the projecting partof which is preferably faceted as shown to adapt it to a suitable toolfor manipulating it and which may be set up tight against a suitablepacking gasket e so as hermetically toclose the joint between the partsa and d. The plug has an axial passage f therethrough which, at theouter end of the plug, is formed enlarged as a socket g, internallyscrew-threaded. Into this socket is screwed the faceted bushing 72,through the axial bore z' of which is passed the tube y' which mayextend from a Suitable tank (not shown) in which the alcohol or otherliquid fuel is stored under pressure, the end of said tube being upset,as at c, and jammed between the ends of the bushin'g and socket'. Theparts ci' and' 7L and a certain stem Z to be described are allpreferably composed of some material which is a poor conductor of heat,the purpose of which will appear hereinafter; and' in order to pack thejoint formed by the parts d, h, and j I provide between the upset end ofthe tube and the bushing, on the one hand, and the plug d, on the other,packing c, of some material which is preferably a poor conductor ofheat. The relatively inner end of the yplug d is internallyscrew-threaded, and into the same is screwed the. stem Z having ascrew-head m adording a square shoulder at n. This stem is provided witha bore 0 which extends from its supporting end (thus affording acontinuation of the passages of the tube and the plug d) a suitabledistance toward but not to its free or headed end; it also has a seriesof radial apertures p extending from its bore outwardly to its outersurface. in place the cylindrical body g, which is penetrated by thestem and is held thereby clamped between the opposite faces n and cZ,respectively, of the head of the stem and the plug CZ. The interiordiameter of the body g is but slightly greater'than the'diameter of thestem, and its exterior diameter but slightly less than the interiordiameter of the member a, so that interiorly and exteriorly thereofthere exists the relatively thin cylindrical spaces r and s,respectively. As will appear, the body g is formed of a porous substancewhich the fuel, fed to the interior thereof from the tube through theplug and stem and issuing from the latter by Way of its radialapertures, permeates, and in order that the fuel may be discharged fromthe body g only in this manner I prefer to pack the joints between itsends Aand the head of the stem and thev plug with water-glass or otherrefractory sealing substance t. The body g is preferably formed ofcarbonmolded into a hard, brittle state; any other refractory substance,however, having as fine and uniform porosity as carbon will serve aswell. The fuel, penet-rating the carbon and issuing therefrom into thecylindrical space s, nds its way to the space u which exists between thefree end of the stem Z and the closed end of the member a, from which itis withdrawn through the nipple b andthe tip 'U shown 'in Figs. 1 and 4.This tip is a plug into which from one end a passage w has been borednearly to its other end, the outer end of the passage being covered by athin disk of platinum. The plug has an enlarged externally threadedport-ion y whereby it is mounted in the internally threaded reducedextremity c of the nipple Z), leaving a slight space e around the innerend of the plug as shown in Fig. 1. The said inner end of the plug isprovided with a number of fine apertures 2 drilled radially into thesame to the passage w; the disk has a single central aperture 3 slightlylarger than each of the apertures 2. My purpose in using platinum forlthe disk and in forming the apertures 2 smaller than the aperture 3 inthe disk is to prevent the discharge aperture (3) of the tip frombecoming clogged, thek apertures 2 preventing solid particles fromreaching the aperture 3 (and thus serving somewhat as a filter) andthecharacter of the metal (platinum) of the disk being, as

The said stem secures is well known, such that carbo-nizing is notencouraged. 4 is a sleeve of appreciably larger diameter than the partsa, (Z and Z1. It has a tubular branch 5 which extends beyond one end ofthe sleeve 4 with its axis parallel with that of said sleeve, the saidbranch terminating in a tubular vertical chamber 6 which is open at itsupper end and has its lower end formed, as at 7, to receive and hold inplace an incandescent mantle 8 and whose free end is a suitable orificednozzle 9. In the claims I designate the nozzle-including portion of theapparatus by the term burner, it being obvious that in the broad aspectof the invention any of the details above described in con nection withthe said portion are immaterial. The assembled structure comprising theparts a, UZ and 7L, with the tube attached, is passed through the sleeve4, and the reduced extremity c of the nipple Z) entered into the upperend of the chamber G of branch 5, the shoulder 10 on the nipple bearingsquarely against said upper end of chamber 6. ln addition to being thussupported by chamber 6, member a rests againstthe interna-l flange 11formed on the sleeve 4, being held rigidly, though removably, in place,by a set-screw 12 tapped into a lug 13 projecting from t-he sleeve. Itwill be understood that the sleeve 4 and its branch 5 afford an intakefor air which enters the chamber 6 and' there mixes with the gas orvapor issuing from the tip e.

The working position of the parts is that shown in Fig. 1.

Operation: When the lamp is started the fuel first comes as a liquid tothe nozzle, flowing through parts (Z, a, /v and 6, permeating the carbonbody after issuing from the stem Z. On ignition of the fuel atthe'mantle the various parts of the apparatus become highly heated. Atonce, therefore, volatilization is set up, and the fuel, converted tovapor, issues from the tip v into chamber G whence, drawing in throughthe sleeve 4 and its branch tube 5 the required air, it discharges,mixed with the air, at the nozzle 9, afterthe manner of the ordinaryBunsen burner.

To the employment of the permeable body g in the way herein described isdue the fulfilment of those objects of invention which have beenhereinbefore alluded to. Thus: it serves as a filter for the fuel,clearing the same of such foreign solid matter as might reduce theefficiency of the apparatus; when its serviceability becomes impaired itmay be discarded and a new one substituted without appreciable cost. Itacts to atomize or highly divide the liquid fuel and thereupon dischargethe thus-atomized fuel against the closely contiguous highly heatedcylindrical wall of member a, so that the fuel is at once volatilized.It

so governs the flow of the fuel that, on the one hand, the point ofchange of the fuel from the liquid to the gaseous state being localizedor substantially confined to the carbon body, the fuel does not passbeyond the carbon body as liquid and thus result in what is known asflooding, and, on the other hand, it makes unnecessary the employment ofa valve for adjusting the flow of the fuel so that it will be neitherfaster nor slower than the process of volatilization. Again, it preventssurging or other conditions making the light unsteady ,or intermittentin character, in that any backpressure, as of fuel which has passedthrough it and expands, is ineffective to disturb the regular anduniform permeating process of the parts of the fuel then absorbed by it.b l

By forming the parts d, h and Z of material that is a poorheat-conductor I avoid heating the fuel within the carbon body to suchan extent that back-pressure, due to its expansion, might occur and sointerfere with the uniform forward progress of the fuel necessary toproduce a steady light.

The chamber u is designed to serve as a v means in which to store thevapor and so contribute toward the regular feeding thereof to theburner, it being so proportioned as properly to subserve this functionand not hold so large a quantity of vapor that there can occur anyappreciable back pressure thereof upon the carbon body.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the fuel isfed to the carbon body at theexterior thereof, and, permeating the same,is discharged from the interior thereof as a vapor. 14 is a suitablesupport in which is secured a tubular member 15 standing vertically, andclosed at its upper end by a screw plug 16 and having a goose-neck 17lscrewed into its lower end and terminating in a nozzle 19 to which maybe attached the incandescent mantle shown by dotted outline anddesignated 20. (The parts 19 and 20 may constitute the burner in thisinstance.) The parts 15 to 19 are all preferably of metal. The member 15has an internally reduced and. threaded portion 21 into which is screwedthe vbut not to its upper end; it also has a series of radial apertures27 drilled into its bore from the exterior. Into its lower end isscrewed a tip 28 substantially identical with the tip o alreadydescribed. Between a shoulder 29 near the lower end of the stem and anut 3() screwed onto the threaded portion 24 of the stem is held thecarbon body 31, 32 being a suitable refractory plastic substance sealingthe joints between the body 31 and shoulder 29 and nut 30. The operationof this form of the apparatus is substantially the same as that firstdescribed, as will be obvious, excepting that, the heat being not lessat the intake (in this case the exterior) side of the carbo-n body thanit is at the discharge (in this case the interior) side thereof thisembodiment of the invention does not possess an advantage alreadyalluded to in connection with the embodiment rst described, wheregreater heat prevails at the discharge side of the carbon, than at theintake side thereof.

It is peculiar to my device, so far as I am aware, that the rigidintegral porous body is held clamped by and between opposed walls of thepassage of the means for conducting the fuel to the burner and in thatpart of said means which is heated from the burner, such walls in Fig. 1being the surfaces el and n of the plug (Z and head m of stem Z and inFig. 5 being the adjacent faces of the shoulder 29 and-nut 30.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a burner, passagedmeans for conducting the fuel to the burner, and a rigid integral porousrefractory body arranged in, and held clamped by and between o-ppositewalls of, the passage of said means, the part of said means containingsaid body being heated from the burner, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a burner, means, having a part thereof heated fromthe burner, for conducting the fuel to the burner, and a body ofpermeable carbon arranged in said part and intercepting the courseof thefuel therethrough, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a refractory body permeable by the fuel to bevaporized and having extended opposite surfaces, means for conductingthe fuel against one surface, and, after permeating, away from the othersurface, of said body, and a burner into which said means discharges,said means having a part heated from the burner and disposed face toface and relatively close to but spaced from said first-named surface,substantially as described.

4. In combination, means for conducting the intake and discharge sidesof said body, substantially as described.

5. In a vaporizer for a combustion apparatus, a unitary vaporizingdevice comprising a cylindrical permeable body and a support thereforextending axially through said body, said support having a longitudinalbore and being orificed from the bore outwardly and covering the ends ofsaid body, substantially as described.

G. A vaporizer for a combustion apparatus including, in combination, atubular fuel-conducting structure having an outlet and inlet, a steininclosed in said structure and mounted at one end in one end thereof,said stem having a bore communicating With the inlet and being` orificcdfrom the bore radially to its outer surface, a cylindrical permeablebody also inclosed in said structure and penetrated longitudinally bythe stein, said stem having a head at its free end and said head andsaid end of said structure xedly holding said body and covering the endsthereof, said body having itsv cylindrical outer surface spaced fromsaid structure, substantially as described.

7 In combination, a tubular structure having an outlet and plug screwedinto one end of said structure and having an axial inlet, a cylindricalrefractory body abutting at one end against said plug and inclosed insaid structure, and a stem penetrating said body and having one endscrewed into t-he plug and a head at the other end thereof bearingagainst said body and holding the same endwise against the plug, saidstein having a bore communicating with the inlet and being orificedradially outwardly from the bore, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a sleeve having a branch extending parallel with theaxis of the sleeve and a tubular head at the end of said branch, saidhead 'having its axis at right angles to that of the sleeve, a vaporiZerincluding a tubular exterior structure extending into the sleeve andhaving a nipple seating on the adjoining end of said head, and means,engaging the sleeve and said structure, for holding the latter againstthe branch-side of said sleeve and the nipple against the head,substantially as described.

9. In combination, means for conducting the fuel, a porous bodypermeable by the fuel arranged in said means and intercepting the courseof the fuel therethrough, and means for heating that portion of saidconducting means containing said body, said conducting means havingparts thereof close to the intake and discharge sides of said CHARLESCOMES.

Witnesses EDWARD J. MITCHELL, JOHN J. CLERKIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

